Dreams

The function of dreams is as much a mystery as the function of sleep.

Freud’s Dream Theory

Psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud believed that dreams allow people
to express unconscious wishes they find unacceptable in real life. He drew a
distinction between the manifest content and the latent content of dreams. The manifest content is the plot of the dream: who’s in the dream,
what happens, and so on. The latent content is the dream’s hidden
meaning. According to Freud, the manifest content is a symbolic representation
of the latent content. In other words, the plot acts as a disguise that masks
the real meaning of the dream.

Cigars and Tunnels

Freud theorized that many psychological problems stem
from repressed sexual urges. In his dream theory, certain
objects symbolize sex or genitals. The most famous Freudian
symbol is the cigar, which, owing to its shape and association
with men, usually represents a penis. Freudian psychiatrists
would interpret tunnels and caves as vaginas.

Activation-Synthesis Theory

Another theory, called the activation-synthesis theory,
proposes that neurons in the brain randomly activate during REM sleep. Dreams
arise when the cortex of the brain tries to make meaning out of these random
neural impulses. According to activation-synthesis theory, dreams are basically
brain sparks.

Problem-Solving Dreams

Some researchers think that dreams express people’s most pressing concerns
and might help to solve problems in day-to-day life. If someone has an important
job interview coming up, for example, he may rehearse scenarios for the
interview in his dreams. If someone has relationship difficulties with a
significant other, his dreams may give him clues to help solve the
problem.

Neural Housekeeping

Some theories argue that dreams arise during the brain’s routine
housekeeping functions, such as eliminating or strengthening neural
connections. Dreams, then, are a way of cleaning up brain files.

During lucid dreams, people are aware that they are dreaming
and may be able to control their actions to some extent within the
dream.